Zara Is the Latest Perpetrator of T-Shirt Outrage Thanks to a Gluten-Themed Crop Top

Statistically, you probably don’t have to be. While celiac disease, in which the body’s immune system painfully attacks the small intestine when gluten is ingested, has been on the rise in the U.S., it’s still relatively rare. It’s estimated that less than half a percent of Americans suffer from the genetic disorder.

But that wasn’t the question, was it? Despite being a key ingredient in a large percentage of delicious things, gluten’s reputation has been on the decline of late, blamed for everything from weight gain, bloating to mood issues such as depression.

Perhaps an indication that gluten-free has reached peak cultural saturation, late last year Zara tried to capitalize on the trend. Via black capital letters on a white-crop top, the retailer inquired: “Are You Gluten Free?”

The T-shirt, as many a T-shirt has done before, drew polarizing reactions. While some shoppers, a few of whom said they had celiac disease, embraced the shirt, others felt Zara was making light of a serious disorder.

One consumer was upset enough to start a change.org petition, which received 53,000 signatures. "The truth is that I just wanted Zara to reflect on the message, I was trying to explain that perhaps it wasn't the best way to make people aware of the illness," she told The Local. She got her wish. Zara’s parent company said the crop top would no longer be sold online or in stores. (This follows Forever 21 pulling a T-shirt just last week.) "We sincerely regret that this case might be interpreted as a trivialization of celiac disease, the absolute opposite of our intentions,” the company said in a statement. Judging from the petition, many people will be happy with this decision.

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